Iwakuni Kintaikyo Airport, which served US civilian and military aircraft, temporarily closed its runway due to reports of several drones that might have entered its airspace, according to local media.
The incident occurred on Sunday, 22 December, and caused a significant delay for an All Nippon Airways (ANA) flight arriving at the airport. The Japanese Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism reported a message to the airline at around 7:00 p.m. local time.
“Several drones had entered the airspace” of Iwakuni Airport, the ministry said. The plane was diverted to Hiroshima Airport for landing and refuelling.
Runway operations resumed after about an hour, but the total delay lasted about three hours. In total, about 250 passengers were affected by the flight disruptions.
Recent drone sightings at Iwakuni Airport echoed a series of similar incidents occurred in New Jersey and surrounding areas of the US. Wright-Patterson Air Force Base recently experienced drone incursions, resulting in a temporary airspace closure. The incidents raised serious concerns about aviation safety and national security.
Authorities are investigating the incidents to determine the source and intentions of the drone operators.
